Learning to Knit

[NurseNettie]

I finally took the leap-- the ladies at work have been wanting to teach me a hand-craft for a year- and I'm learning to knit.
What are your favorite "easy" projects to knit?
What are your favorite websites for patterns, etc?
Any suggestions for buying yarns online? My shopping choices "locally" are limited. Walmart, which is 25 miles away, and has reduced their craft section to 1 aisle- and is very limited. Or the "city" which is a 3 hour drive, one way, and has.. Walmart, and AC Moore. I've lived here a year and a half, and still haven't gone shopping in the "city"-- I won't spend 6 hours of driving for an hour or 2 of shopping.. so online shopping is what I'd like to do-- but I know the prices are widely variable.
Any suggestions would be super!

 

[sufficientforme]

I wait for good sales at Joann's crafts, I love the selection and I do not have a local store for good yarn either. They have decent shipping costs also.
They are having a sale now!
http://www.joann.com/joann/home/home.jsp

 

[Wildsky]

I finally took the leap-- the ladies at work have been wanting to teach me a hand-craft for a year- and I'm learning to knit.
What are your favorite "easy" projects to knit?!

I love knitting hats, just my fav. thing. Scarves are nice and easy as well as cowls etc...

What are your favorite websites for patterns, etc?

by far it must be ravelry.com

Any suggestions for buying yarns online?

If I buy on line its normally from Joann's, or a place called (I think) Nancy queen designs. I can't think of her store name now, but some good deals on the more fancy yarns and wool etc. Edit to add, the store is called NobleKnits yarn shop!

 

[valmom]

Ravelry is a wonderful site! They have groups, blogs, forums, patterns, yarn advice- endless things to explore.

My favorite yarn store by FAR is Webs- they are online (and having an end of the year clearance sale) or fairly local to me in Northampton, Mass. I love shopping there- they have a back room warehouse that is just stuffed with yarns!

http://www.yarn.com/

 

[Wifezilla]

I have been loom knitting forever. I don't needle knit because I can't read patterns

I found some really neat yarn at Joann's last week. It is 70% acrylic and 30% alpaca. Very affordable. I am also a big Wooleze fan. Hubby is forver just tossing things in the washer without thinking. I have to buy stuff that can survive a ride in the washing machine.

 

[NurseNettie]

Thanks guys!!!! I'm off to look at, and bookmark sites
Keep those suggestions coming!!!

Oh.. just to add.. I do have a knitting machine that belongs to my grandmother. She moved into a nursing home in September, and I have her machine in my truck still. I know it's older, and not sure of model, etc, but would like to learn to use it after I've learned by hand.

 

[Wildsky]

Thanks guys!!!! I'm off to look at, and bookmark sites
Keep those suggestions coming!!!

Oh.. just to add.. I do have a knitting machine that belongs to my grandmother. She moved into a nursing home in September, and I have her machine in my truck still. I know it's older, and not sure of model, etc, but would like to learn to use it after I've learned by hand.

I have a cheapo machine and hated it, I spent so much time picking up dropped stitches that it just wasn't worth the frustration! I'm sure a top of the line model would be much nicer!

 

[Henrietta23]

I just became a member of Ravelry last month. I'm having fun exploring.
On Wednesday I visited Webs, a store recommended by my brother's girlfriend. This is their website: http://www.yarn.com/
They have a huge sale the week after Christmas. I was really impressed with the store in general. I'm a perpetual beginner though.

 

[valmom]

Isn't Webs the best??

I had a knitting machine when the kids were little- nice for knitting snowflakes and designs into sweaters for them. I did like it, but found it a bit limited in what it was good for.

 

[Henrietta23]

Isn't Webs the best??

I loved it. We have two small yarn shops near here and I love to visit them but to go to Webs and be able to poke around the warehouse was a whole new experience! I have to confess I really like natural fiber yarn. That and my beginner level skills keep my projects limited. I'm glad I know people who raise fiber animals and spin so I can understand why good yarn is so darned expensive!
I never even saw Valmom's post somehow. I was just so excited to share my visit to Webs!
Another site my brother's girlfriend recommends for patterns is www.knitty.com They have some pretty funky and fun stuff! I attempted a knitted watch band. I have to redo it because even though I checked my gauge it came out too big.